AN ACT relating to compulsory school attendance.
Amend KRS 159.010 to require students entering the 9th grade after July 1, 2014 to attend school until their 17th birthday or receive a high school diploma; to require students entering the 9th grade after July 1, 2015 to attend school until their 18th birthday or receive a high school diploma; to continue dropout conferences for students between the ages of 17 and 18 until July 1, 2015 school year; to make technical corrections; amend KRS 159.020 to conform; amend KRS 158.146 to remove priority of awarding dropout prevention grants to districts with 3 year average dropout rate exceeding 5%; remove provision directing 75% of funds to elementary and middle schools and 25% to high schools; add use of funds to support statewide strategies and grants to districts to support replicable promising practices; encourage General Assembly to consider increasing funding to support dropout prevention programming if funds become available.

HCS/FN - Retain original provisions, except delete prior implementation dates and require compulsory attendance for children ages 6 to 17 by July 1, 2013 and for children ages 6 to 18 by July 1, 2014; require the Kentucky Department of Education to use the standards and indicators for school improvement for alternative education programs to measure progress and to assist schools in reducing barriers to successful student engagement and in implementing research-based practices; amend KRS 158.145 to revise the existing declaration of the General Assembly including setting a graduation rate goal of 90 percent by July 1, 2015; require annual report beginning in November 2010 by the department to the Interim Joint Committee on Education; permit the commissioner of education to approve alternative education programs or services that are negotiated between a local school district and a postsecondary education institution; revise use of dropout prevention grants under KRS 158.146; create a new section of KRS Chapter 158 to establish the Commonwealth Mentor Initiative; create a new section of KRS Chapter 18A to provide one hour per week leave to state employees who become certified Commonwealth mentors to volunteer in a private or public school; specify conditions for the mentor approval; create a new section of KRS Chapter 164 to require boards of trustees and boards of regents to encourage personnel to participate in the Commonwealth Mentor Initiative; encourage the department, the KY Tech and the Kentucky Community and Technical College System to work with local school districts to expand career pathways to keep students engaged; require the commissioner of education and the president of the Council on Postsecondary to engage others in the study of alternative education.

HCA (1, C. Rollins II) - Express the General Assembly's intent to provide funding support in fiscal year 2014-2015 and fiscal year 2015-2016 to help districts with programs and services required by increasing compulsory attendance.

HFA (2, K. Bratcher) - Add a new section of KRS Chapter 158 to limit the amount of time a student who is under 10 years of age and resides within an area of consolidated local government is required to be on a school bus to or from school to 45 minutes.

SCS/FN - Retain original provisions, except change implementation date for compulsory school age to 17 from beginning July 1, 2013 to July 1, 2015 and compulsory school age to 18 from beginning July 1, 2014 to July 1, 2016; change the goal for high school graduation rate from July 1, 2015 to July 1, 2017; amend KRS 158.810 to define terms relating to career and technical education; amend KRS 158.812 to specify the intent of the General Assembly and to clarify purposes of career and technical education and legislative beliefs; create a new section of KRS Chapter 156 to require communication of the minimum college-and career-readiness standards to all local school districts prior to the beginning of the 2011-2012 school year; require the department to develop enhanced courses in English, reading, and mathematics for at-risk students in grades 9, 11, and 12; create a new section of KRS Chapter 158 to require the Kentucky Department of Education, if funds are appropriated for that purpose, to recommend evidence-based instructional models to schools to help at-risk students; require all career and technical education teachers to receive training in how to embed reading, mathematics, and science knowledge and skills in specific career and technical education programs; create a new section of KRS Chapter 157 to establish a career and technical education accessibility fund for matching grants to local school districts to be administered by the Kentucky Department of Education and require the Kentucky Board of Education to promulgate administrative regulations for implementing the grant program; amend KRS 158.814 to require that the Kentucky Department of Education and the Office of Career and Technical Education determine the statewide unmet needs for career and technical education capital projects; create a new section of KRS Chapter 158 to require the Kentucky Department of Education and other entities to develop evidence-based models for addressing the needs of at-risk students; amend KRS 158.816 to complete data analysis and reporting of the attainment of skills and educational credentials by technical education students; amend KRS 18A.010 to exempt teachers, guidance coaches and counselors, and school administrators employed in state-operated area technology centers from the executive branch employee cap; APPROPRIATION; declare an EMERGENCY.

Jan 20-introduced in House
Jan 21-to Education (H)
Jan 28-posted in committee
Feb 16-reported favorably, 1st reading, to Calendar with Committee Substitute, committee amendments (1) and (2-title)
Feb 17-2nd reading, to Rules
Feb 18-floor amendment (1) filed to Committee Substitute
Feb 22-recommitted to Appropriations & Revenue (H)
Feb 26-posted in committee
Mar 2-reported favorably, to Rules; floor amendment (2) filed to Committee Substitute
Mar 3-posted for passage in the Regular Orders of the Day for Thursday, March 4, 2010
Mar 4-3rd reading, passed 94-6 with Committee Substitute, committee amendments (1) and (2-title), floor amendment (1)
Mar 5-received in Senate
Mar 9-to Education (S)
Mar 18-taken from committee; 1st reading; returned to Education (S)
Mar 23-reported favorably, 2nd reading, to Rules with Committee Substitute, committee amendment (1-title)
Mar 25-posted for passage in the Regular Orders of the Day for Monday, March 29. 2010
Mar 29-passed over and retained in the Orders of the Day
Apr 1-passed over and retained in the Orders of the Day
Apr 14-taken from the Regular Orders of the Day; returned to Rules (S); returned to the Orders of the Day; recommitted to Appropriations & Revenue (S)